a cool experiment for your preschooler

do you have a young sibling or child who is in between the ages of two and six? well, if you do, you can use a very cool experiment to figure out how much their mind has developed. this specific experiment determines whether or not your child has developed a theory of mind, or understands that other people think differently than them. it's very easy and simple, and also cool.

the first step in this experiment is to find a labeled box that your child is familiar with, be it band-aids, candy, or cereal. next, empty the box and fill it with a different object such as sand, crayons, or pebbles. now show the child the closed box and ask them what is inside. once they have answered band-aids (or candy, cereal, ect.), ask them what a friend would think was in the box if they saw it closed. if they answer from their new knowledge of what is actually in the box, they are still ego centered. if they answer the "logical" response (band-aids, ect.), they have developed theory of mind.

remember, ego centered means that a child still thinks that everyone knows what they know, not that they're snobby. this is why young children become so offended when you cannot immediately tell that their scribble is a cow, or why they don't understand that you can't see when they stand in from of the tv. also, don't worry if your child seems a little bit behind their friend in their development. everyone develops at their own pace. obviously though, if your seven year old has not developed theory of mind, you should worry.

so try this out, and comment on your experience below!